All pupils
must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and
non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world
in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of
reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading also
feeds pupils' imagination and opens up a treasure-house of wonder
and joy for curious young minds.

National Curriculum 2014

Throughout Key
Stage 1 and 2 we teach literacy through the Power of Reading
programme, alongside our very clear and structured methods for
teaching Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar.

The Power of Reading approach has raised achievement in over 2500
schools across England and internationally. Here at Derwent Vale we
have seen The Power of Reading transform the way the teachers teach
and the way children feel about reading and writing. Children engage
with high quality picture books, novels, poetry and non-fiction
through a wide range of teaching approaches. Children are immersed
into the text through art, drama, discussion and role-play. Other
approaches include responding to illustrations, 'Book Talk',
story-mapping and book making.
Children take ownership of the text and engage with it deeply.

The carefully chosen texts are all part of Centre for Literacy in
Primary Education's (CLPE) Core Book List. Each teacher has
carefully selected books for their class this term:

Class 1

Handa's Surprise by Eileen Browne

This vibrant
illustrated story takes us into the world of a little girl in Kenya
who plans to surprise her special friend Akeyo with a basket of
fruit. As she walks along the path with her gift the fruits are
stolen one by one by a succession of animals, finally being replaced
by an accidental windfall of tangerines, to the delight of the
reader who enjoys being 'in the know' while Handa remains baffled.
Each picture is rich in realistic detail providing much to talk
about as well as providing support for young readers to tune into
and predict the pattern of the story. Using painting, small world
play, role-play, writing cooking and tasting tasty food from around
the world, our children have been able to more fully enter Handa's
world and develop their understandings.

Class 2

The Jolly Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg

Sub-titled
'Other People's Letters', this is a stupendous and original picture
book. As the Postman delivers his letters to the Wicked Witch, the
giant (Mr. V. Bigg in Beanstalk Gardens) and B(ig) B(ad) Wolf, Esq.,
c/o Grandma's Cottage, Horner's Corner, the reader can actually open
the envelopes, take out the letters or cards and read them. The
rhyming text, the witty pictures, the references to nursery rhymes
and stories make this picture book a treasure trove.

To support our
understanding of this fantastic book, we have also been reading a
Traditional Tale every week, such as The Three Little Pigs, Jack and
the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and
Cinderella.

Class 3

Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae

There's a rumble
in the jungle
There's a whisper in the trees
The animals are waking up
And rustling the leaves.

From the outset this book is an open invitation for our children to
enter the world of the jungle and experience this wonderful
collection of animal poems. Bright colours, jungly music and animal
sound effects make this collection of animal rhyming verse perfect
for helping us explore adjectives and adverbs through Poetry.

We have also
been reading Traditional Tales and soon will be enjoying learning
all about the work of author Julia Donaldson.

Class 4

Jemmy Button by Jennifer Uman

Inspired by the
true story of a native boy from Tierra del Fuego, brought to England
to be 'civilised', Jemmy Button is a touching story about the wonder
of being somewhere new and different, while feeling the 'pull' of
home.

The story of
Jemmy's journey and encounters in the strange, unfamiliar land of
England is told through the engaging and descriptive text and the
beautifully poignant mixed-media illustrations that accompany it. It
is difficult not to share in Jemmy's feelings of surprise,
isolation, wonder and longing, and experience some of the excitement
of his voyage to this new place, and his subsequent journey home. We
have been exploring these themes through poetry, descriptive
language and writing diaries in role as the characters in the story.

Class 4 will soon also be reading the following books:

Mouse Bird Snake Wolf by David Almond

A powerful and
thought-provoking text, illustrated in graphic novel-style, which
will enable children to explore the beauty and dangers of nature as
well as the importance of boundaries and self-restraint.

Noah
Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne

Noah is leaving
home ostensibly because he wants to have adventures and make his way
in the world. But something is troubling him, a situation from which
he seeks escape. He has not travelled far before he finds himself in
a world that seems somehow off kilter, where a dachshund and a
donkey can speak, and time runs freely and is difficult to measure.
He meets an old man, a master toymaker with a shop full of carefully
crafted puppets that he never sells. Their stories movingly unfold
in parallel as they relate them to each other in ways that are very
satisfying for the reader as the identity of the old man and the
anxiety in Noah's life are gradually revealed.

Class 5

Year 5

So far this year
we have embarked on a secret spy mission, gone back in time to
witness the tragic murder of a Scottish King and we are currently
enduring the harsh conditions of a Victorian workhouse ... all of
this through the power of our imagination (helped by our Power of
Reading books!).

We have enjoyed
a spy adventure story (Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz), a
Shakespearean play (Macbeth)
and our current book is an historical story

Street Child by Berlie Doherty

Set in the
second half of the nineteenth century, Street child tells the story
of a boy called Jim who, after a series of misfortunes, spends time
in the workhouse as a child labourer and lives on the streets. The
book is based on the true story of an orphan whose plight inspired
Doctor Barnado to try to help street children, and led to the
founding of his children's homes. Exploring the novel enables
children to discuss challenging themes including cruelty, injustice,
resilience and humanity. It also enables children to develop an
understanding of issues such as poverty and child labour. We have so
far enjoyed writing diaries in role as the characters, informal
letters and formal persuasive letters to Theresa May, our Prime
Minister, urging her to do something about the thousands of children
in the UK who are sadly homeless.

Year 6

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Wolf Brother is
an exciting adventure set 6,000 years ago during the time of the
hunter gatherers. Torak, of wolf clan, is the main character. His
father's death, at the hands of a gigantic bear inhabited by an evil
spirit, triggers Torak's quest - to save the forest from
destruction. His loyal guide is a wolf cub and the story is told
from both human and animal perspectives. There are strong themes in
this story, including bravery, loyalty and a deep respect for the
forest and its inhabitants which have so far inspired us to write
descriptively and to write journals in role as the characters.